Keyboard interlock control means



July 24, 1962 R. E. SEYMOUR ETAL 3,045,799

KEYBOARD INTERLOCK CONTROL MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25, 1960 FIG.2

FIG 3 INVENTORS. FA YMO/V0 5. 563914016? [0/4 4190 7 HAEAS/(E Arrow/v5) July' 24, 1962 R. E. SEYMOUR ETAL 3,045,799

KEYBOARD INTERLOCK CONTROL MEANS Filed Aug. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 9 k,

mmmmmm ,Aimiinmflfflfim Chg E] [B E] E] m INVENTORS. E1 [3 [21 [21M flaw \k ATTORNEY BY flmmp United grates 3,6453% Patented July 24, 1962 ice 3,045,799 KEYBOARD INTERLOCK CONTROL MEANS Raymond E. Seymour, Norwalk, and Edward T. Haraske, Easton, Cnn., assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 51,980 9 Claims. (Cl. 197-107) This invention relates generally to keyboard controlled data recording machines such as a typewriter, bookkeeper or the like and has more particular reference to keyboard interlock mechanism associated with the keyboard of such machines, together with a control therefor, so as to selectively disable certain keys or group of keys at different stages of the machines operation.

The invention is shown and disclosed herein in an embodiment adapted for use with keyboard interlock mechanism of the general type disclosed in the co-pending application of Raymond E. Seymour, S.N. 21,687, filed April 12, 1960, and entitled Selective Interlock Mechanism.

In the machine of the aforesaid co-pending application,

the selective interlock mechanism includes a group of slidable members, each associated with a respective group of keys, for moving into and out of effective blocking relation to their respective group of keys at different stages of a formatted or program controlled typing operation as determined by the travel of the machine carriage into predetermined carriage escapement positions. In the machine of said co-pending application each type bar is designed and operable for producing on the hard copy only a single character, the numeric type bars carrying only their respective numeric type face and the alphabetic type bars carrying only, preferably, their respective capital letter type face. Accordingly, the character capacity of the machine is limited by and corresponds to the number of keys in the-keyboard.

It has been found desirable and useful to increase the character capacity of such machines without departing from the standard keyboard or increasing the number of keys therein. The present invention increases the data or character capacity of the machine by making provision for extra or additional characters associated with a particular group of keys and effective when the machine is in an upper case condition. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention the extra or additional characters comprise punctuation marks and symbols and are carried by the numeric type bars of the machine although such extra characters are of an alphabetical nature so as to be called for in an alphabetical area or field of the line format being programmed.

According to the present invention, since the extra characters are intended to be usable or typed in an alphabetic area or field of the hard copy, when the numeric keys might otherwise be locked up, means are provided to disable the numeric key lockup mechanism when the machine is in upper case condition to thereby permit typing of the additional characters in a given area or field of the hard copy in which typing of numerals would otherwise be prevented.

In the machine of the co-pending application aforementioned, the several lockup slides were shifted by the actuators and held in the shifted position by continued or repetitive energization of the actuators until the format called for release of the slide, whereupon the actuator could be deenergized. One feature of the instant invention is the provision of a mechanical storage means, shown in the form of a latch, which retains the lockup slides in their effective positions and avoids the necessity of holding or repeatedly energizing the respective actuators. Said storage member operates to automatically release a slide being held in the effective position upon the shifting of another slide into the effective position.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to increase the character capacity of a machine of the class described without increasing the number of keys in the keyboard.

It is a further object of this invention to increase the character capacity of a machine of the character descirbed, having selective keyboard interlock control means, by utilizing the case shift mechanism of the machine.

-It is a further object of the invention to permit the use use of dual character keys in a machine of this class provided with the keyboard interlock control mechanism.

It is a still further object of this invention to permit mechanical storage of a program or format control signal in a selective keyboard interlock control mechanism.

Further objects of the invention together with features contributing thereto and advantages resulting therefrom will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the front of the machine showing two separate keyboard lockup slides and related mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the lines 2-2. of FIG. 1 showing the mechanical storage member in association with the aforesaid lockup slides.

FIG. 3 is a detail view showing a numerical and alphabetic type head.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from the rear of the machine showing, fragmentarily, mechanism operated by the case shift key and its relation to the keyboard interlock means.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the lockup slide employed in the instant embodiment for the numerical keys, the slide being shown in its actuated or effective lockup position.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the slide employed in the instant embodiment for locking up alphabetic keys, the slide being shown in its actuated or effective lockup position.

FIG. 7 illustrates the mechanism of FIG. 5 as affected by a case shift operation.

FIG. 8 illustrates the mechanism of FIG. 5 when restored to its normal ineffective position by release of the mechanical storage member.

FIG. 9 is a partial layout of the keyboard of the machine illustrating the use of the numeral keys for dual character typing.

In FIG. 9 there is illustrated a typical keyboard layout of the machine showing the use of the numeral keys for dual character typing. Hereinafter in this specification -a dual character key will be used in the sense of being capable of achieving two distinct type impressions, one in the upper case and the other in the lower case. The alphabetic keys 12, in the instant embodiment of the invention, are not dual character keys, the type bars 31, see FIG. 3, associated with these keys carrying, preferably, only capital type which may be in both upper and lower case position on the type head or the type head may carry the type only in the lower case position with the upper case position blank. The keyboard also contains the usual shift key 13 which is operable in the usual manner, hereinafter more fully described, to cause a shifting of the type bar basket so as to permit distinction to be made between the typing resulting from operation of the dual character keys in the upper or lower case position, respectively.

The case shift mechanism is shown in FIG. 4 and will be briefly described herein, said mechanism also being disclosed and described in the co-pending application of R. E. Coleman and E. G. Israelson S.N. 41,854, filed July 11, 1960, and entitled Typing Impression Control for Typewriters. Operation of the case shift key 13 rocks key lever 14 the upright arm of which is connected by a pull rod 15 to a clutch control bell crank 16 pivoted to a portion 17 of the frame of the machine. Bell crank 16 is connected by link 18 to a lever 19 also pivoted on the frame portion 17. Link 18 establishes a parallel linkage between bell crank 16 and link 19, the rearward arms of said levers, 16a and 1%, respectively, being bent over to form a tripping ear cooperating with a clutch dog 21 carried by an eccentric cam 22. The eccentric is loosely mounted or journalled on a power driven shaft 23 and lies adjacent a clutch ratchet 24 secured to the shaft. A spring 25 stretched between the dog and the eccentric urges the dog in a direction to engage one of a plurality of teeth formed on the ratchet 24. The parts are shown in FIG. 4 in the lower case position, where it is seen that ear 16a has engaged a shoulder of the dog 21 to disengage the clutch and to retain the eccentric in the lower case condition. Upon depression of the shift key 13 the parallel linkage is rocked in a clockwise direction which releases the dog 21 permitting it to engage the ratchet and rotate one half a revolution where it is now engaged by the ear 19a to disengage it and to hold the eccentric in the upper case condition. An eccentric follower or strap 26 is secured by connecting rod 27 and bracket member 28 to the frame of the type bar basket 29 mounted in the usual manner for vertical shifting movement so as to shift the pivot for the type bars 31 into the respective upper or lower case position. In accordance with the present invention, means are provided to control the selective keyboard interlock mechanism in accordance with the case shift condition of the machine, said means including a follower lever 32 pivoted at 33 to the frame of the machine and engageable with the eccentric strap 26 so as to rock in a clockwise direction when the strap 26 moves to its upper case position i.e., the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 4. Tied to the lower arm of follower 32 is a pull rod 36 which is also connected to an interlock release bell crank 34 pivotally mounted by screw 35 on the frame of the machine. The function of the interlock release member 34 will be more fully described hereinafter.

FIG. 1 illustrates, in an exploded view, two of the interlock slides 41, 42 which may be be included in an interlock mechanism, although it should be understood that more slides could be provided depending upon the number of lockup functions desired. As described in the aforesaid co-pending application S.N. 21,687 each of the slides is formed with upstanding projections upon which are mounted tightly wound springs 43 in positions to underlie and lockup a selected group of keys 11, 12 when the slide is actuated or shifted to its effective lockup position by actuators responding to movement of the carriage into predetermined carriage escapement positions. In the aforesaid co-pending application the actuators are shown mounted to the rear of the slides whereas in the instant application the actuators 44, of which one is shown in FIG. 4, are mounted in front of the slides with the actuator armatures 45 extending rearwardly to shift the slides to their effective position in the described manner. In the instant embodiment of the invention, the lockup slide 41 is fitted with springs 43 at positions to lock up the alphabetic keys 12 of the machine and the slide 42 is fitted with springs 43 in position to lock up only the numerical keys 11 of the machine. Except for the mechanical storage feature, to be hereinafter described, slide 41 is similar to and functions in the same manner as the slides disclosed in the aforesaid co-pending application. However, slide 42, in order to allow for control by the case shift mechanism of the machine, carries an auxiliary member in the form of a T shaped link 46 the horizontal arms of which are formed with slots 4-7 slide fitted to pins 43 secured to the slide to form the usual or conventional pin and slot connection. The vertical leg or trunk of the auxiliary member 46 is also slotted so as to coact with the armature 45 of its associated electromagnetic actuator 44. A spring 49 stretched between member 46 and the slide 42 causes the slide to yieldably follow the movement of the auxiliary member 46, said spring 49 being stronger than spring 51 which urges the slide to the restored ineffective position.

PEG. 1 shows both slides 41, 42 in their restored or ineffective position and the machine in the lower case condition wherein the slide release bell crank 34 is in its most counterclockwise rotated position and lying in the right hand portion of the cut out 52 formed in the left hand end of the slide. If the actuator armature 45 for the numeric slide 42 is now operated the auxiliary member 46 is shifted to the right carrying with it the slide 42 since spring 49 is heavier or stronger than spring 51. When the auxiliary link member 46 is thus shifted a storage member in the form of a latch plate 53 is brought into operation, said plate being pivotally mounted at 54 to the frame of the machine and yieldably tensioned in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 55. The latch plate 53 may be associated with all the slides of the selective interlock unit, the latching edge of said plate coacting with a lockup tooth 56 formed on the arm of auxiliary link member 46 and also with a lockup tooth 57 formed in a cutaway portion of slide 41 and all other slides which may be included in the interlock unit.

When the slide 42 is shifted by its electromagnetic actuator to its lockup position the lockup tooth 56 bears against the locking edge of latch plate 53 to cam the latch plate in a clockwise direction thereby releasing any other slide which may at that time have been locked up by the latch plate 53. When the slide reaches the fully effective lockup position, the latch plate 53 restores to effective latching position behind the lockup tooth 56 so as to hold the slide in the lockup position until automatically released by activation of slide 41 or by separate actuator means associated with the latch plate 53. Said separate actuator means, as best seen in FIG. 4, includes an electromagnetic actuator 58 mounted on the frame of the machine, the armature 59 of which is con nected by link 61 to an arm 62 formed off the latch plate 53. Spring 55 stretched between the arm 62 and the machine frame urges the latch plate into the effective latching position when the actuator 58 is deenergized. The actuator 58 is energized whenever it is desired that all the slides of the interlock unit be released or restored to the ineffective positions under the influence of their respective springs 51.

When the slide 42 has been moved into effective lockup position with the auxiliary link member 46 locked up by latch plate 53, all of the numeric keys of the machine will be locked up as long as the machine remains in lower case condition. However, if the operator wishes to type, at this time, the upper case character of the dual character or numeric keys, depression of the case shift key, through mechanism heretofore described, operates to rock the slide release arm 34 in a clockwise direction to pull the slide 42 into the ineffective unlocking position against tension of spring 49 even though the auxiliary link member 46 is still locked up by latch plate 53. Accordingly, as long as the machine remains in the upper case condition the operator may type the upper case characters on the dual character keys, and as soon as the machine is returned to the lower case condition the arm 34 allows the slide to return under influence of spring 49 to the lockup position which, it will be noted, is accomplished without rocking latch plate 53 or releasing any other slide which may also be locked up by said latch plate.

FIG. 5 illustrates the position of the numeric interlock slide 42 and associated parts when in the effective lockup position with the machine in lower case condition. -It will be noted that a spring 43 underlies each of the numeral or dual character keys 11 so as to prevent typing by these keys when the machine is in a lower case condition. FIG. 7 shows the same slide after the machine has been placed in upper case condition with the auxiliary link member 46, however, still locked by the latch plate 53. It will be noted that the release arm 34 has been swung to the left to restore the slide 42 to its ineffective unlocking position against tension of spring 49 so as to permit operation of the numeral or dual character keys of the machine.

FIG. 6 illustrates the alphabetic lockup slide 41 in the effective locking position wherein it will be seen that all of the alphabetic keys 12 of the machine are effectively blocked to prevent operation thereof by the operator. FIG. 8 illustrates the release of the slide 42, and any other slide which may have concurrently been held effective, as a result of operation of the interlock clear actuator 58 which disables the latch plate 53 in the manner heretofore described. Energization of the interlock clear actuator frees all the slides thereby permitting the entire keyboard to be utilized by the operator.

Although the invention has been shown and described herein in an embodiment wherein the dual character keys comprise the numeric keys, it should be understood that the alphabetic keys could be similarly utilized with the same results. Also, although the invention has been shown and described in connection with a machine having power-driven case shift mechanism, it should be understood that the invention is equally well adaptable for machines having other forms of case shift mechanism.

While there has been shown and described what is considered to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that many changes in form could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, that the invention be not limited to the exact form shown and described nor to anything less than the whole of the invention as hereinbefore set forth and as hereinafter claimed:

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a keyboard controlled data recording machine of the class described having separate groups of keys for recording data belonging in separate data categories, the keys of at least one of said groups being operable for recording data in more than one data category, means for selectively locking up said separate groups of keys, case shaft means operable for selecting one or the other category of data associated with said one group of keys, and means operated by said case shift means for controlling the lockup means for said one group of keys to permit recording by said one group of keys of data in only one data category.

2. In a keyboard controlled data recording machine of the class described having separate groups of keys for recording data belonging in separate data categories, respectively, one of said groups comprising dual character keys operable for recording data in more than one data category, means for selectively locking up said separate groups of keys, case shift means operable for selecting one or the other category of data associated with said dual character keys, and means operated by said case shift means for controlling the lockup means for said dual character keys to permit recording by said dual character keys of data in only one data category.

3. In a keyboard controlled data recording machine of the class described having separate groups of keys for recording data belonging in separate data categories, one of said categories being data of alphabetical nature the other category being data of a numerical nature, the keys of at least one of said groups being operable for recording data in one category in one case shift condition of the machine and data in another category in another case shift condition of the machine, means for selectively locking up said separate groups of keys, case shift means operable for selecting one or th other category of data associated with said one group of keys, and means operated by said case shift means for controlling the lockup means for said one group of keys to prevent the recording of data of a numeric nature by said one group of keys when the machine is in one case shift condition and to permit the recording of data of an alphabetic nature by said one group of said keys when the machine is in another case shift condition.

4. In a keyboard controlled data recording machine of the class described having separate groups of keys for recording data belonging in separate data categories, the keys of at least one of said groups being operable for recording data in more than one data category, means for selectively locking up said separate groups of keys, said lockup means including individual slidable members associated with respective groups of keys and shiftable between ineffective and effective lockup positions, case shift means operable for selecting one or the other category of data associated with said one group of keys, and means operated by said case shift means for controlling the slidable member for said one group of keys to release said member from the effective lockup position when the machine is in a predetermined case shift condition.

5. The invention according to claim 4- wherein said slidable member includes an auxiliary element actuable for shifting the slidable member between ineffective and effective lockup positions, said auxiliary element being mounted for yieldable movement relative to the slidable member to permit the slidable member to restore independently of the position of the auxiliary element.

6. The invention according to claim 5 including mechanical latching means for retaining the said auxiliary element in an actuated position.

7. In apparatus of the class described having a plurality of control members arranged in parallel spaced apart relation to each other and each movable in the same direction from an inoperative to operative position within its respective plane, means for locking up selected ones of said control members, said means including a lockup member for each of a plurality of selected groups of control members and longitudinally disposed adjacent to and along a line intercepting the plane of each of said control members, each said lockup member being shiftable longitudinally into and out of lockup position, interponent means mounted on each said lockup member and positionable in the plane of selected control members by the shifting of said lockup member into lockup position to limit the operative movement of the selected control members, and mechanical storage means engageable with each said lockup member to retain the lockup member in the eifective lockup position.

8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said storage means comprises latching means mounted for yieldable engagement with a lockup projection formed on each of said lockup members, said latching means being moved to ineffective latching position upon the shifting of one of said lockup members from ineffective to effective lockup position.

9. The invention according to claim 7 including actuator means operable for rendering said storage means ineffective.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

